Home » Smartcard quickstarter guide

Conclusion

As a conclusion, let us query the content of our smart card:

pkcs15-tool --dump
Using reader with a card: Feitian SCR301 01 00
PKCS#15 Card [François Pérou]:
Version : 1
Serial number : 2998511513171109
Manufacturer ID: EnterSafe
Last update : 20100316160209Z
Flags : PRN generation, EID compliant

PIN [User PIN]
Com. Flags: 0x3
ID : 01
Flags : [0x30], initialized, needs-padding
Length : min_len:4, max_len:16, stored_len:16
Pad char : 0x00
Reference : 1
Type : ascii-numeric
Path :

Private RSA Key [Private Key]
Com. Flags : 3
Usage : [0x4], sign
Access Flags: [0x1D], sensitive, alwaysSensitive, neverExtract, local
ModLength : 2048
Key ref : 1
Native : yes
Path : 3f005015
Auth ID : 01
ID : c6f280080fb0ed1ebff0480a01d00a98a1b3b89a

Public RSA Key [Private Key]
Com. Flags : 2
Usage : [0x4], sign
Access Flags: [0x0]
ModLength : 2048
Key ref : 0
Native : no
Path : 3f0050153000
Auth ID :
ID : c6f280080fb0ed1ebff0480a01d00a98a1b3b89a

X.509 Certificate [Certificate]
Flags : 2
Authority: no
Path : 3f0050153100
ID : c6f280080fb0ed1ebff0480a01d00a98a1b3b89a

The card contains an RSA key pair, an X.509 certificate protected by a PIN code.

The beauty of smart cards is that at no moment the secret RSA keys left the card. Even on a compromised computer, it would be impossible to steal the secret of the private RSA key.

This is why some people belive that there is no real security without proper hardware like smartcards.

Bookmark/Search this post with